The Briefcase

Water fell from the sky, garnishing emerald streets with rain as the smoldering glow of a waning sunset shimmered across the bay. He moved with the current of strangers who paced their way across glistening sidewalks that flowed upwards and down, starting and stopping at the behest of each intersection. With each step, the city's energy pulsed through him as he watched the flattened expressions that passed him by. He blended in with the pedestrian commute, his ubiquitous appearance unanimously shared with a jacket draped over him, shielding his face from watchful gazes that filled the streets of Seattle. Darkness was coming.

"6 blocks forward and then a left on Madison Street, right?" asked Kyle.

"Wrong, it's 5 blocks forward and then a right on Madison. We've been over this," said Sara, correcting him through his earpiece as she carefully watched his location move across a map on her computer screen.

"I love it when you boss me around," said Kyle, snickering through a twisted grin.

He navigated through a maze of towering buildings, slipping into a secluded street as he surveyed his surroundings with vigilance. Every move was deliberate, expertly merging into shadows and disappearing in plain sight. He leaned his back against the worn bricks of a darkened wall, posing casually as he poised himself with anticipation for a set of instructions that would guide his next move. While few would notice the boy who hid within the contrast of a nearby streetlight, none would notice that a drone hovered silently above. It flew in the cover of the hazy night, high above the streets, equipped with a camera that transmitted a live feed to Sara. With her gaze fixed on the streamed video, she closely monitored the unfolding scene before her. Despite the distance between them, they worked together, eagerly awaiting the imminent arrival of a specific man – The target.

He emerged from the ground floor of a mid-rise tower, striding with haste toward the street where his car was parked. His focus remained fixed on the glowing display of his phone, his footsteps echoing through the vacant scene as he raised his trench coat to cover himself from the fresh, misting rain.

"Is that him?" asked Kyle, with an intense focus zeroing in on the target who casually tossed his briefcase onto the roof of his car before unlocking it.

Sara skillfully piloted the drone, guiding it to the perfect position to capture an ideal angle. Her computer fastidiously analyzed every detail of his features until she heard a soft alert of approval which signaled that a facial match was found, definitively confirming his identity.

"That's him, our target. Move!" came Sara's urgent command, propelling Kyle forward as he stalked the shadows, watching as the strange man dug through heaps of junk he left behind in his car.

He was completely unaware of Kyle's presence. This was the moment he had been waiting for, and he didn't hesitate a moment longer. With a burst of speed, he dashed across the street, hunching down to make himself less conspicuous, swiftly discarding his hoodie to improve his line of sight. As he neared the car he seized the briefcase perched on top before bolting away, his legs propelling him as fast as possible. When the man exited his car to retrieve the briefcase he was stunned to discover that it had inexplicably vanished, throwing him into a state of sheer panic.

"911, what's your emergency?"

"I need help. Someone just stole my briefcase. It contains extremely important documents that I cannot afford to lose," exclaimed the mysterious man into his phone, unaware that Sara was covertly listening in using the drone at her command.

"Kyle, he's called the cops. You need to get out of there, fast!"

He felt his heart pounding in his chest as he quickened his pace, the rush of adrenaline surging through his body as he sprinted uphill. In the distance, the faint but unmistakable sound of a siren grew louder, signaling the approach of the police. Reacting swiftly, he darted into a nearby alleyway, vanishing into the shadows once more. With his senses on high alert, Kyle frantically searched for any possible escape route, his eyes darting around in a desperate attempt to find a path that would lead him far away from the scene of the crime he had just committed.

As Kyle cautiously emerged from the shadows, his gaze was drawn to a congested intersection ahead. The busy streets seemed to converge at a point where people vanished and reappeared into the depths of the earth. Amid the chaos, a steady stream of commuters flowed in and out of an underground tunnel, offering Kyle the enticing prospect of finding refuge amid the noise and commotion of the city above. As he ventured into the dimly lit crevice, Kyle's heart raced with anxiety, and he couldn't help but sneak worried looks behind him, half-expecting to see flashing police lights rapidly approaching.

Upon finally emerging onto the platform of the train station, he adeptly maneuvered through the dense crowd of people, each engrossed in their own world, completely oblivious to the tumultuous sequence of events that had led Kyle there.

"I can't find you anywhere," announced Sara, timorously maneuvering the drone through the chilled night air, diligently scanning for any sign of Kyle before she noticed police swarming the light rail station.

"Please tell me you didn't enter the tunnel!"

"Why do you say that?" replied Kyle before an ominous sound of jangling keys echoed through the passageway.

Kyle casually sauntered to the secluded edge of the bustling platform, his every nerve tingling with anticipation and readiness for a swift exit. Just as he was poised to step onto the gliding escalator, a sight seized his attention—a cluster of figures clad in dark attire, topped with police caps, and hurtling down the stairway. Without hesitation, Kyle pivoted in a different direction, only to find himself attuned to the thundering approach of uniformed footsteps on all sides. The realization dawned upon him that he was hemmed in from every angle by the police, clutching a stolen briefcase in full view.

Kyle effortlessly blended in with the crowd, fleetly removing his jacket before throwing it over the briefcase to conceal it. As the crowd started to thin out, he suddenly locked eyes with a sharp-eyed officer, causing his heart to skip a beat. He froze in place, appearing as nonchalant as the sea of indifferent commuters that surrounded him whose curious gazes shifted in every direction.

"All clear!" shouted the officer, his deafening pitch only inches away from Kyle, sending an electrifying jolt through him that caused him to flinch reflexively.

"That was close," whispered Kyle into his discreet earpiece, making sure that only Sara could hear his words over the buzzing noise of the crowd. With a glance over his shoulder, he smoothly merged into the swarm of people as they filed onto the train that had just arrived, clearing the platform at once.

"Now come home before you get into any more trouble," urged Sara, her voice tinged with concern as she leaned back into her chair, the soft glow of the computer screen casting a light on her face.

As Kyle navigated his way back through the winding streets of the neighborhood where Sara lived, the sky suddenly opened up, unleashing a torrential downpour. In the wake of the sudden rainfall, he quickened his pace, determined to reach Sara's house. With each hurried step, the rain cascaded down, saturating his clothes and causing them to cling to his body. The weight of his jeans dragged him down with each stride as he merged into the cover of her front porch.

Standing in front of the house, he reached out and rang the doorbell before eagerly awaiting Sara's response. When the door creaked open, she stood before him, her eyes following the raindrops as they trickled down his face. His lips curled into a wild, mischievous smirk as he gazed at Sara, his eyes moving over her like a slow-moving avalanche. She irradiated to life, struggling to conceal a faint smile from view. The space that separated them felt like an intangible barrier, an invisible force field between two perfectly aligned magnets, each one pulling towards the other, kept apart only by willful restraint.

"I told you the door was unlocked," said Sara, glancing over beads of rain that slid across his glasses, obstructing his eyes from her view.

"I know, but I wanted you to open it," said Kyle, his gruff tone unleashing a cascade of fogged breath that unraveled before her.

As the heavy wooden door clicked shut behind her with a muffled thud, Sara felt an almost palpable sense of relief wash over her. The weight of the world seemed to lift from her shoulders, and for a moment, she stood still, savoring the quiet solitude of her home. The outside world, with all its complexities and conflicts, felt like a distant battleground, and she couldn't help but harbor her deep-seated fear of the unknown. In the moments when Kyle wasn't around, she found herself experiencing a subtle undercurrent of worry that quietly persisted until he returned home. Although she openly showed her concern for him, she concealed deeper emotions that she hesitated to acknowledge, even to herself.

While Sara plugged away at her computer, Kyle finished off the rest of the dinner she'd left him before drifting off into a peaceful slumber atop a plushy couch in the warmth of her living room. After realizing how late it was, she crept upstairs to check on him. Grateful that her best friend was home safe, she stole a longing gaze at him before turning back for the garage for the remainder of the night. With a steely determination, she settled in front of her computer, driven by her mission to meticulously sort through the contents of the newly acquired briefcase. Her objective was to immerse herself into the personal life of its owner, uncovering the truth that lurked within.

The briefcase was the property of Michael McCormick, a well-respected politician known for his charisma and public success. However, beneath his carefully crafted image, rumors of money laundering and ties to the unsavory spiraled. One of these individuals was Eric Kirkland, who not only faced allegations of sexual misconduct at his workplace but was also the last person seen with a girl who had disappeared weeks earlier. Intrigued by these connections, Sara delved into the intricate web of Michael McCormick's life, hoping to unearth the truth about the disappearance of the young girl. This pursuit exemplified just one facet of an extensive and ongoing series of clandestine operations that Sara and Kyle had undertaken. This wasn't the first time she and Kyle broke the law to pursue the truth. For months, the intrepid pair had been collaborating on surreptitious ventures to uncover various white-collar crimes plaguing the city.

Sara's life used to be quite different. For many years, she was the unabashed recipient of a vast trust fund. She devoted her time to meticulously renovating her house, savoring animated lunch dates with her closest friends, and fulfilling her parents' desires by gracing high-profile events with an elegant presence. Sara's family belonged to the city's affluent elite, mingling with high-powered corporate executives and influential community leaders to advance the cause of a massive multinational humanitarian organization that they had founded.

Sara's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Stone, were an exemplary couple with a strong commitment to philanthropy. They dedicated their lives to establishing and running multiple successful businesses which fueled their investments aimed at confronting worldwide poverty and hunger. Their relentless efforts not only brought them financial success but also bestowed upon them significant responsibility and societal expectations. Sara, their only child, wholeheartedly embraced her role as a devoted daughter. She effortlessly embodied grace and poise as she attended and participated in every glamorous gala and fundraising event, supporting her parents' noble causes with steadfast dedication.

What she didn't share with her family was a private aversion towards the pervasive greed and opulence that surrounded her. Sara's disdain for excess deepened as she witnessed the widening gap between social classes that threatened to engulf the city, igniting a fervent desire within her to become an activist for civil rights, quietly championing legislative efforts aimed at driving change to protect the overlooked and underprivileged of the region.

After devoting two years of her life to assisting those in need, she realized that her endeavors were fruitless and barren. Borne by her frustrations with the cumbersome bureaucracy of politics, she eventually concluded that adhering to the conventions of structured society was impeding her ability to deliver meaningful change. Disheartened by the inaction of government authorities, she resolved to take matters into her own hands. Leveraging her off-record computer skills, Sara began hacking into corporate mainframes and government systems on the web. She orchestrated covert fund transfers from major corporations to benefit the indigent of society, shielding such activity from the notice of public view. In time, she would become highly skilled at infiltrating the technical walls that barricaded those who struggled to get by from those who were most fortunate. With the aim of transferring vast sums of money from corporate funds into the hands of the poor, all while shaking hands and appearing in implicative photo ops with some of those she stole from.

When she crossed paths with Kyle, everything changed. He was diligently pursuing his journalism major at a local university when their worlds collided. Right from the start, sparks flew as their conflicting worldviews clashed, creating constant tension. While Sara found herself annoyed with his every move, Kyle couldn't get enough of her. He couldn't help but be drawn to the girl's larger-than-life, outspoken opinions, while she saw his brash ways as nothing but a persistent problem. However, as time passed, she looked beyond his half-witted humor and uncovered the depth of his character. While their perspectives couldn't be more different, they shared a repugnance for iniquity and a yearning for the truth.

Somehow, through their continual bickering and unwavering stubbornness, Sara found herself growing fond of the boy whose eyes lit up with joy whenever he saw her. As their trust deepened, Sara confided in Kyle about her secret online activities. This sparked an idea that grew into a major project, compelling them to join forces, where Sara made a surprising discovery – she wasn't the only one with extraordinary talents. He amazed her with his incredible versatility. He was a charming Swiss army knife, allowing him to access people and places that were previously out of Sara's reach. What started as a simple unauthorized redistribution of wealth turned into thrilling amateur vigilantism.

With time, their quest transformed from uncovering hidden truths to fearlessly seeking retribution against the corrupt elite of the city. They diligently sharpened their abilities in sifting through online records and acquiring damning confidential data through their unofficial endeavors. By using a simple drone she purchased online, she could go wherever he was from the comfort of her own home, under the nose of the watchful public. They became an unbeatable duo – she, a hacking prodigy capable of breezing through intricate firewalls and top-of-the-line security systems, and he, a shadowy virtuoso, skilled at blending in with any crowd and charming his way into the most impregnable corners of society. What one couldn't do, the other could with precision. Each complemented the other's abilities perfectly, and together they went places no one else could, venturing into uncharted territories few would dare.

While they worked together, the two grew an unbreakable bond of trust and closeness after many lengthy clandestine operations under the cover of night. Their partnership blossomed into a profound connection that transcended mere friendship. Whether it was the gentle brush of Sara's hand against Kyle's as they walked side by side or the meaningful glances they exchanged in a crowded room, their undeniable chemistry infused every interaction. Despite the magnetic attraction that lingered between them, they both made a conscious choice to prioritize their friendship, setting aside their growing feelings for each other to focus on their stealthy activities.

Kyle and Sara were modern-day heroes who operated in secret. By day, they were seemingly ordinary people, two productive members of society. By night, they pursued crimes that often leave little trace to follow, committed by the corrupt of the powerful and elite. They lived a double life concealed from everyone around them. Even their own family had no idea that the two orchestrated operations from an ordinary-looking garage, hidden from prying neighbors and the world at large. By breaching the law, they could expose injustices and confront those who committed wrongdoing beyond the reach of traditional law enforcement. They were the masters of shadows, the vigilantes of darkness, fearlessly delivering justice and protecting the innocent where the police couldn't.